What’s My Alter Ego? Create Your Alter Ego In 5 Steps

I already have a few personas. One for music, one for blogging, one for videos…but there’s a throughline identity that connects them all. And that’s what who I want to focus on.

An alter ego helps shift your identity, helping you address limiting beliefs or a low self concept. It’s helped me overcome blocks in my creative process and all types of obstacles in pursuit of my creative goals.

I’m using an alter ego as an anchor identity I can use no matter what creative project I’m working on. You can do the same, or focus on just one area of your life. Both work fine.

When I learned how to create an alter ego, I felt a new sense of flow and energy in my work. It was fun. And I feel different. Becoming who you’d like to be is really just creative work.

So…let’s get to it then.

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Table of Contents

What Is An Alter Ego?

An alter ego is an alternate version of yourself, who embodies some desirable set of characteristics and habits.

It can lead to a Batman effect, which is like a suit you can throw on during difficult, new, creative or stressful situations.

An alter ego is a way to embody new personality traits, which can help you pursue projects or goals with more confidence.

Because at any point in your life, you can simply decide to become someone new.

“It is never too late to be what you might have been.”

— George Eliot

Is It Normal to Create An Alter Ego?

Definitely. It’s not weird.

(there’s even proof)

Raphael’s real name is Raffaello Sanzio, Salvador Dalí’s name is actually Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí I Domènech and plenty of musicians (like Sasha Fierce/Beyoncé or Halsey), authors (like Mark Twain), bloggers and artists have all used this strategy.

So trust me, it’s not that strange.

I’ve been using alter ego strategies for years in my creative work. Sometimes, I create under my real name (for No Compass work and my videos). Other times, I may use a slight pseudonym (like my artist name, Kuinn).

But in every scenario, I embody a set of characteristics and traits, which are the real ingredients for my multi-purpose alter ego.

Who Uses Alter Egos?

• Artists

• Athletes

• Students

• Teachers

• Musicians

• Creatives in general

• Writers and bloggers

• Travelers needing confidence

• Entrepreneurs and business leaders

• Anyone interested in personal development

Benefits of Using An Alter Ego

• Allow yourself to embrace your quirks

• Improve your confidence

• Boost your external self awareness

• It’s a form of mental rehearsal and visualization

• Feel a sense of personal empowerment

• Adopt more desirable personality traits

• It helps with imposter syndrome

• Become more self aware

• Clarify your artist identity

• It’s creative and fun

How to Create An Alter Ego 〇 5 steps

a stranger waiting, somewhere outside Kamakura…

1. Define Your Biggest Struggle(s)

What’s your biggest struggle that you feel like an alter ego can help with?

(or struggles)

This is your reason and motivation. Your goal and set of expectations. Defining these feels obvious, but it’s helpful to clarify.

Ask yourself some questions:

• What holds me back from being who I truly want and doing what I truly want?

• Why do I hesitate or struggle?

• How do I think people perceive me? How do I wish people perceived me?

• Why do I want an alter ego?

• What will I use it for?

• What do I think or hope will happen?

2. Define the Traits of Someone With the Same Struggle

Now think about someone who also struggles with the same or similar things, BUT it doesn’t stop them.

List out their personality traits, characteristics, habits and thought patterns. What do they do and believe and how do they speak to themselves?

This should feel liberating. Because you don’t need to (nor should you try to) get rid of your “negative” emotions or limiting beliefs.

Instead, you can grow with them. Expand through them. Bring them along with you as you journey into living your creative vision.

Ironically, the more you embrace this shadow side, the quieter it gets. The less importance you assign to it, the less power and control it has over you.

That’s the power of crafting an alter ego that isn’t “perfect” (it’s realistic and within reach).

3. Define Your Current Traits + Compare Notes

Now get honest with yourself.

What are your current personality traits, characteristics, habits and thought patterns?

Then, compare and contrast between the list you made from step 2. Spot the biggest gaps and circle those.

Use those gaps as a foundation for your alter ego.

4. Create A Full Profile

After you define the core of your persona, it’s time to give it some depth. Bring it to life, so to speak.

Create a full persona profile for your alter ego. Define things like:

• Their productivity habits

• Their food habits

• Their fashion, style and taste

• Different friends or network

• Unique hobbies or passions

• A unique pen name (if you want)

• A whole backstory or mission even…

5. Use Your Alter Ego

An alter ego without a purpose is just daydreaming. It wants It needs a project…a mission.

You probably already have a goal or a creative vision (it’s probably why you’re here in the first place lol). So maybe this is just a reminder to actually put your alter ego to work.

Practice using it daily in small ways or big. Take it for a test drive. Try the new habits or ways or living. Start down the path.

• Go easy on yourself (setbacks are normal)

• Meet more people who align with the new you

• Change your space to reflect your alter ego

• Start small, take baby steps

• Watch better content

• Stay aware

• Have fun

Eventually, Something Happens…

If you keep playing the role, using your alter ego on projects, trekking down paths to discover unknowns…something fantastic is going to happen.

One day, you’re gonna wake up and realize that somewhere along the way, you stopped thinking about your alter ego. As if you stopped using it.

You’ll stop needing your alter ego simply because…you became it.

Alright then, later.

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